username: deimar | video

[jatharin]

( The first transmissions is recorded footage, clearly captured by a pendant held by a shaking hand. Before it, legions of heterogenous, misshaped demons part for the gilded palanquin of Duke Rathakku, his long tendril legs seeping off his cushions.

Beneath his litter, death hounds feast on the fresh remains of a man carrying a peace stindard.

Rathakku appears untroubled, unhurried, indifferent: )

Tell your new king... he will have the peace of the old. And we, we will give it to him. If you can reach him.

( Only more seconds capturing footage of fumbling feet and gracel, the pendant carrier stumbles back, starting to run —

Before the transmission switches to the lightly amused face of Alem's king Deimar, whistling: )

...friendly sort, isn't he? That was four months ago. He's softened since. I'd say the colder weather agrees with him. It's good for you new recruits to see that. To see him. It builds character. ( A pause, then helpfully: ) ...spoils appetites, too! Means less dinner for you, more supplies for the morning. We've all won here.

( But the joy seeps from him. ) I know what you have come for. The beacon. I accept you. It's honest trade, we need the hands. Hells, fond welcome. And to those of you serving as envoys, we'll raise a cup to you first. I should hope there's meat on your bones!

Now, a few... guidelines! As it were. What are you? Madmen, criminals, thieves, mercenaries? I don't care to know. Under my roof, I'll have none of that quarrel. ( Steely: ) No squabble, no torture, no rape. We're in tight quarters, blood runs hot. But you'll somehow prevail over any instincts. No... innocent stabbing. There's enough of that in the Wards of late.

I understand some of you are joining the watch towers. I'll come see you. It's ugly work, and you won't thank me. But I thank you. If that bitch Irenia flies by, remember: she's an ugly, slow whore, and you can take a sharp stick's end to her throat. ( Silence, then breezily: ) I don't mind if you do that our merchant friends, either. Just make sure you've learned where they've stored their grains first. ( Light coughing. ) Don't let Haiva hear that. We're to be friends with one and all! Even when they skin us for gold.

As it stands, the day's news: we prepare to evacuate new convoys of our weakest civilians every five days. Unfortunately, Rathakku is... either remarkably intuitive or well informed. He seems to find our escape corridors in the mountain and blockade them. So! We start anew, with fresh escape routes. Do help. And if you can keep our vulnerable on their feet and not trip up the paladins who are working in the Gut's Bind, even better.

By the way, we cut any hands laid unkindly on healers. We can likely spare you more than them.

And the punishment for snitching to uncle Thyvault where the last of the good wine sits is worse than that. I'll deliver that one personally.

Now, good to have you! Die well.

( ooc: welcome to Alem & threadjack liberally c: )

Comments

un : deft hand of little deaths (voice)

[scrapgege]

So that's the local undead lord...

[Xie Lian... honestly has seen worse, but you know, these people are in a terrible situation so no use mentioning that. He still doesn't sound impressed, just vaguely interested.]

It wouldn't be too much to assume there are spies inside, I think. The opposite would be surprising.

[jatharin]

My father's advisors once counselled him to hang the man who suggested something of that nature.

( A beat. ) Two months later, I was hanging the advisors. What's the lesson here?

( G r i n n i n g. ) Don't run out of traitors or rope.

un: headless ragdoll (video)

[matermali]

[ What a memorable greeting...from both parties. The king already think them quite the rogues. Who is she to argue with a king already joking (or is he) about thieving from and literally backstabbing the merchants?

She doesn't look too troubled by anything shared beyond the occasional squint of curiosity, but she'll glance down and tip her chin in a show of deference when speaking. He may not be an English monarch, but he's still royalty in his own right. ]

I shall keep my steps light when about any conducting their work, your majesty. My only wish is to help and learn.

[ Now, this may have nothing to do with her, but how can her interest not be piqued? ]

If I may ask, what is this about... [ a raised eyebrow as she dares to glance back up. ] an innocent stabbing?

[jatharin]

Help and learn you shall. ( A moment, let him squint — ) Your dark hair is exquisite, isn't it?

( Well, on to matters new. )

No point in hiding blatant truths. You'll hear them anyway. There's talk of... murder in the Keep. Some say assassination, others theft gone wrong. Even that some might be copying the work of others. I would say... a year into a siege, accidents will happen.

protector izumi | video;

[fushichou]

So what is your plan for this siege? Any standing army? Militia? Or are you just going to funnel people out the back door and hope for the best? Though you said it yourself, that doesn't seem to be working out too well.

[A pause as he considers something else.]

What is an "innocent" stabbing?

[jatharin]

Yes! By all means. Come, eyes fresh, and criticise toil that has been done and blood that has been shed for months. We are but fools awaiting your wisdom.

( Now, with a shine of steel: ) We evacuate because our forces cannot hold on much longer. The strong, the young and the experienced — largely died in the first waves, when my father thought we could meet Rathakku head on. Now, the standing army, the militia are... old men, cripples on crutches, boys we've plucked all but from the cradle and whatever my uncle purports to be these days.

We cannot hold Rathakku off much longer. I won't be the man who lets thousands die in the name of pride. That was my father before me. And look where we are now.

un: doubletap | video

[dog_eat_dog]

[Wryly:]

One that had it coming, obviously.

un: sling shot

[slippin]

[ Jimmy sounds: unhappy! Though he at least had the presence of mind to wait fore his voice to come back before responding. ] Did—uh, was that the old king?

Madmen, by the way. The overwhelming majority of us.

[jatharin]

No! Gods be good. My father died peacefully in his bed.

...with a whore right beside him.

video | un: wooden sword

[vdovy]

Best to assume you've been compromised and act accordingly. What does your counterintelligence operation look like?

[ As part of his guard, chances are that Yelena is in Deimar's physical vicinity; if he happens to look her way, she waves hello with the pendant in her palm, causing the video footage to shake wildly. ]

[jatharin]

( Well, would you look at that! He's waving. But still speaking both publicly and in the pendant, to share the information freely. )

You're asking if we've infiltrated Rathakku's forces, like scoundrels?

un: bee

[allforthecause]

[ Speaking of counter intelligence— ]

Do we know how secure these communication lines are?

un: strange / audio

[rehandle]

[ What a welcome. Wry: ]

Any more compelling insights about your dragon friend? Weaknesses beyond a stick to the throat, maybe? Not that I don't appreciate the simplicity.

[jatharin]

Yes. Of course.

( Charitably: ) Consider two sharp sticks.

un: magic wand (video)

[faceblocker]

[ It takes more than that to spoil her appetite. Always hungry, this one.

Not looking impressed about kings or all of the blah blah. ]

Pretty sure we can figure out where the merchants' grains are without the seedy murder.

[ Though she'll probably be pretty busy...elsewhere on the towers. She does get restless. ]

Why every five days?

[jatharin]

The corridors are narrow. Rathakku's forces surround each way. We cannot draw their eye by sending too many convoys at once. And many of our people need preparation. The old, the cripple, the vulnerable cannot be moved easily.

un:bee, voice

[allforthecause]

If you have a beacon, could you not use it to evacuate?

[ He’s sure there’s something he doesn’t know about the beacons, but he’s fine looking a little stupid to ask the question. ]

[jatharin]

To strange, hostile lands?

un: long rope

[eyeofthavnair]

I volunteer to help with the evacuation.

[jatharin]

I accept your tribute and offer no reward.

username: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

What about un-dying well too?

( the expression here is entirely sincere. so sincere. )

[jatharin]

And helping the enemy? You'll forgive me if I have no opinion on that.

un: man's greatest treasure (video)

[reparo]

[A more king-speaks-to-soldiers welcome she has not witnessed. Does she have a small comment about referring to an undead, female dragon as a whore? Sure. Is she going to bring that up to King Deimar?

No, she's no fool. But she's also not going to die, thanks.]

Should you not just convey orders to those of us on the towers? You've fought against his armies longer than us, surely you know the weaknesses of your enemies?

[jatharin]

If we knew them as well as you suppose, they'd be dead. We're not keeping them around for good company.

un: white pawn; video

[chosenbylight]

[If there is one way to get Anduin's attention (let's face it, it is not actually all that difficult at all), it is mentioning that there are people in need. The weak and vulnerable, under attack...

Anduin's expression draws tight.]

I hope it does not come to that. Dying. I am a healer myself, and I will assist in any way that I can.

Have you been able to get any of your convoys out to safety?

[jatharin]

We have. A fair number. They're settled provisionally at a fair distance. So far, I'm pleased to say, no chase.

video — un: starburst.

[valeas]

( ... Well, that is one way to welcome them. )

Haiva is your brother, correct? My name is Emilia, and I've been assigned to the Wards.

[jatharin]

Good Haiva. Our eldest, yes. He'll look after you in the Wards.